We did something a little different at the second KĀKOU Town Hall, televised and streamed live for two hours on PBS Hawai‘i April 19.

Mostly, we let the conversation unfold naturally. This wasn’t a shout-‘em-down event; it was a respectful Hawai‘i discussion in which people from different backgrounds and perspectives mulled quality-of-life answers.

Our topic was The Global Squeeze: How Do We Keep Hawai‘i Hawai‘i? Thirty-eight thoughtful invitees gathered, 16 of them Neighbor Islanders.

Participants were quick to point out that many residents, especially Native Hawaiians, are feeling that they need to leave Hawai‘i, as they weigh earnings against sky-high housing prices and a heavy burden of state and local taxes. Some characterized tourism as a perpetual engine that is running unchecked.

A high school junior, Rebecca Meyer, expects to move away. She noted that she’s never visited some special places on her home island of O‘ahu, because tourists are overrunning them.

The Dean of the UH Hawai‘inuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge, Dr. Jon Osorio, said, “We need to have political and economic change if Hawaiians are going to stay here. And honestly, if Hawaiians disappear from here, it isn’t Hawai‘i anymore.”

Dr. Maenette Benham, UH-West O‘ahu Chancellor, said that what keeps Hawai‘i Hawai‘i is the cultural values that young people hold in their na‘au, or gut, and how they use them as a driving force to uplift community.

Jay Fidell reminded everyone that cost-of-living anxiety dates back decades. “How do you convert that into recognizing the sea change and doing something about it?”

T. Ilihia Gionson of Kona said a good next step is voting in the upcoming election for a worthy candidate – “and if you don’t see one, maybe it’s supposed to be you.”

A younger Hawaiian by a generation, Keoni Lee, offered that sovereignty should be viewed by non-Hawaiians as an opportunity, not a threat, as Native Hawaiians can lead the way in sustainability practices that once made their homeland flourish.

Maui’s Kainoa Horcajo preferred to call this “home rule” rather than sovereignty. He said, “It’s not just a kānaka thing, it’s a kākou thing…That is the way we truly solve all of these problems.”

Peter Adler, a professional in conflict resolution, listened intently during the program but chose not to speak. He told me later: “In certain settings, a shut mouth gathers no foot.”

You can find this discussion online at pbshawaii.org. Look for our next KĀKOU Town Hall this fall.

In our second live town hall, we pause to consider where we are, and where we want to be. Change is inevitable. Some changes come quietly, incrementally, over years; others seem to emerge all of a sudden and nearly full-blown. How is Hawai‘i changing – for better, for worse, or both?

This is not a conversation about major controversial events that have been dividing our community. This is not a conversation about pro-this, or anti-that. This is a discussion about the finer details of life in Hawai‘i that affect our sense of place. What details compromise the core essence of Hawai‘i – and where are we willing to draw the line?

We’ve invited 40 individuals from across the state to participate in this frank, respectful and community-based discussion in our studio. We invite you to join the conversation through email and social media, using the hashtag #pbskakou. You can watch the live broadcast on PBS Hawai‘i, or the live stream on pbshawaii.org and PBS Hawai‘i’s Facebook page.

PBS Hawai‘i was recognized by the Honolulu City Council yesterday for 52 years of serving the Islands with quality storytelling that profoundly touches lives, including curriculum-rich children’s programming, public affairs, arts and culture, science and history, and a focus on authentic stories of Hawai‘i.

“With the changes in the Islands, PBS Hawai‘i has become a rare locally owned statewide media enterprise,” said PBS Hawai‘i President and CEO Leslie Wilcox. “Our staffers tap the aloha spirit – the coordination of mind and heart – in creating and presenting stories.”

PBS Hawai‘i is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization and Hawai‘i’s sole member of the trusted Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). We advance learning and discovery through storytelling that profoundly touches people’s lives. We bring the world to Hawai‘i and Hawai‘i to the world. pbshawaii.org | facebook.com/pbshawaii | @pbshawaii

Robert Cazimero states, “It’s a testament to a time gone by, that really might not be seen again.” Jon de Mello, Owner and CEO of Mountain Apple Company, says, “This show is the top of Hawaiian music in the 20th century.”

Robert Cazimero and Jon de Mello are referring to Hawaii: Songs of Aloha, a program originally broadcast to a national PBS audience in the year 2000 that gathered some of Hawaii’s brightest stars on one stage: The Brothers Cazimero, Amy Hanaiali‘i Gilliom, Willie K, O’Brian Eselu, Makaha Sons, Jake Shimabukuro, Na Leo, Hapa, Ledward Kaapana, Cyril Pahinui and the Kamehameha Schools Concert Glee Club. On Monday, October 5 at 7:30 pm, to commemorate 50 years of public television in Hawaii, PBS Hawaii will bring back this historic treasure as PBS Hawaii: Celebrating 50 Years With Songs of Aloha. Join PBS Hawaii President and CEO Leslie Wilcox and co-host Robert Cazimero as PBS Hawaii presents a timeless program that captures a magical moment of Hawaiian music and dance.